A Skeptic Concedes Solid-State Drives Are the Future

Solid-state drives, or SSDs, have been catching on ever since Apple decided to put them in its laptops. But now we've reached a tipping point. Classic hard-drive makers are beginning to turn away from the magnetic drives we've used for decades in favor of the newer, stabler, faster solid-state alternatives.

The latest to make the switch: Seagate Technology , which is on track to stop producing 7,200-rpm laptop drives by the end of the year. Currently, Seagate pitches a brand of "hybrid" drives that add a flash-based cache to reduce stress on the underlying drive platters to hold most data.

While an interesting stopgap, Seagate may be battling a mighty tide with SSD shipments from the likes of Intel on track to double this year, according to researcher IHS iSuppli.

Is Seagate fighting a battle it can't win? What's the best way to play the rise of solid-state drives? The Motley Fool's Alison Southwick asks Tim Beyers of Motley Fool Rule Breakers and Motley Fool Supernova for his perspective in the following video. Please watch, and then leave a comment to let us know what you think.

Seagate attracts some investors for its massive and growing dividend yield. Is it sustainable? Or will a worldwide slowdown in demand for magnetic data storage curtail margins and stall growth? The Motley Fool answers this question and more in our most in-depth Seagate research available for smart investors like you. Thousands have already claimed their own premium ticker coverage, and you can gain instant access to your own by clicking here now.